Maintaining muscle is easy, but building it is a different ball game. It takes a lot of hard work that’s not for the faint of heart.
While many people believe that all it takes is spending hours in the gym, that could have the opposite effect.
To prevent injury and see the best results, incorporate rest days. Eating right and investing in the best pre-workout for beginners will also help you build more muscle.
The question is, how do you pick the right supplement for the job? Check out this guide to learn everything you should look for in a product.
What Is Pre-Workout?
Before shopping for Premium Sports supplements, you should know what they are. Pre-workout is a substance you can take about an hour before you hit the gym.
It will give you the energy to get through your workout and boost your performance. The most popular way to take pre-workout supplements is via powder. All you have to do is put it in water and stir.
If you can’t find a powder that you like the taste of, you can buy chews or capsules instead.
1. Shop for the Right Ingredients
The main thing to look out for when buying bulking supplements is ingredients.
There are five big ones that all gym newbies should be aware of. These ingredients are caffeine, beta-alanine, L-citrulline, creatine monohydrate, and L-theanine.
Caffeine
Caffeine blocks the adenosine receptors in the body and puts a block in phosphodiesterase activity. This kicks your central nervous system into high gear. The result is higher energy levels and more fat burning.
By taking a supplement with caffeine, you’ll be able to train longer and harder at the gym. You’ll also lose more weight and gain additional muscle.
Beta-Alanine
Your muscles contain something known as carnosine. The higher your carnosine levels, the better your muscles can perform.
Do you know what the main ingredient of carnosine is?
If you guessed beta-alanine, you would be right. Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid your body naturally produces, and it’s a crucial ingredient in beginner pre-workout supplements.
Taking it will allow you to perform strenuous activities, such as weight lifting, for longer.
You may be thinking, “Can’t I just take a supplement that contains carnosine and cut out the middle man?”
That would be ill-advised. While you can find pre-workout supplements with carnosine, they can have unwanted side effects. You can’t go to the gym if you’re nauseous.
L-Citrulline
Citrulline is the scientific word for “watermelon.” L-Citurlline is an amino acid found in the fruit’s rind.
You don’t have to snack on a watermelon rind to incorporate this helpful amino acid into your diet. It’s a main ingredient in many of the best-tasting pre-workout supplements.
Taking it before your workout will increase your body’s oxygen uptake while reducing blood lactate levels. This will speed up the muscle recovery process. That means you’ll be able to go to the gym more often!
Creatine Monohydrate
Your body creates creatine monohydrate naturally. The thing is, you use a lot of it during high-intensity workouts.
That’s where creatine monohydrate comes in. Taking it before a workout will allow your body to replenish its supply of creatine as it uses it. You should notice a difference in muscle recovery, strength, and stamina.
Creatine monohydrate is a welcome addition to any pre or post-workout supplement.
L-Theanine
L-theanine is the central amino acid in green tea. It can make you feel focused and calm at the same time.
It’s also known for extending the effectiveness of caffeine without causing any unpleasant jitters.
2. Consider Your Workout
Take a moment to think about what you want out of your workout. If fat burning is your goal, caffeine, and amino acids will help you accomplish it.
Working protein powder into your diet will also help you burn fat. By using it, you’ll stay fuller longer. This will prevent you from overeating.
For fat burning, you should also avoid supplements that contain an overabundance of carbohydrates.
If your goal is less about fat burning and more about muscle building, look for a supplement that supports growth and testosterone optimization.
3. Avoid Sugar
One question many people ask is, does pre-workout make you gain weight? The answer is that it can.
Some of the best-tasting supplements rely on sugar for flavor. It’s okay to have a little sugar, but it does add up after a while. If you’re not careful, you’ll consume more calories than you lose.
4. Do Your Research
Don’t fall into clever marketing ploys. Take a moment to research and read the ingredient list on a container before buying a product.
If none of the ingredients are scientifically proven to give you the results you’re looking for, that supplement isn’t for you.
5. Know What Ingredients to Avoid
We talked a little about supplement ingredients that are good for beginners. Now it’s time to discuss the ones you should avoid.
A few of the most notorious are DMAA, Higenamine, and Picamilon. These ingredients are either not FDA-approved or can cause horrible side effects. In some cases, both.
The general rule of thumb is to avoid any chemicals you don’t recognize. If you have a history of heart disease, talk to your doctor before choosing a pre-workout.
Choosing the Best Pre-Workout for Beginners
Choosing the best pre-workout for beginners will help you make the most out of your workout. You’ll have the energy to make it through tough gym sessions and speed up your muscle recovery time. That’s only the beginning.
For more fitness tips and tricks, explore the rest of our blog.
